Autauga County Sheriff's officials say they have seized a dozen dogs after uncovering a dog-fighting ring near Autaugaville.

Autaugua County adjoins Montgomery County, Alabama.

Chief Deputy Joe Sedinger told the Alabama News Network that they received a tip on Sunday, Dec. 1, that "some dogs were tied up in a woods" near the 500 block of North Pickett Street. The Montgomery Advertiser states that there was also an anonymous call that four-wheelers were disturbing the peace.

Sedinger, shown in a photo at the scene, said that when deputies arrived they found 10 pit bulls in poor condition and two other dogs were dead. Officials said they also found a makeshift dog fighting ring nearby.

All the dogs were thin and malnourished, Sedinger said.

"They were scarred up," he said. "Some were injured pretty good. There were two dead dogs there."

He said the dogs were found at "two scenes." They were chained up about 75 to 80 feet from a plywood pit, where it appears they were forced to fight each other.

Officers also recovered a stolen four-wheeler and a pistol at the scene.

The dogs were taken to the Autauga County Humane Shelter. All will be evaluated by veterinarians. Some were expected to be examined Sunday evening.

No arrests were made but an investigation will be ongoing. The Autauga County Sheriff's Office is asking for any information to be reported directly to them.

A local commenter wrote that many people in the area had dogs they believed were recently stolen. She asked for the Sheriff's department to publish the descriptions of the dogs — including the dead ones — in case they could be identified.

The Humane Society of the U.S. offers a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in dog fighting or cockfighting. If you have information about illegal animal fighting in your area or anywhere, you can call HSUS' animal fighting tip line at 877-TIP-HSUS. Your information will be kept confidential.

According to the Montgomery Advertiser, in 2008, the Autauga County Sheriff's Office discovered 33 pit bulls near Rodrock Road and busted a dog fighting/breeding operation. Terrell and Terrance McNeil, twin brothers, pleaded guilty to running the operation and were sentenced in 2011 to serve 26 months in prison, followed by three years of probation.